MLB 14 The Show
/ ps3
/ ps4
/ PSVita

SCE San Diego Studio's MLB The Show series has a mode where players can live out fantasies of being a professional baseball player. In "Road to the Show" players can design their own avatars and take them on the long journey from the amateur draft to the big leagues.

It's easily my favorite aspect of the game, marrying my love for baseball with an RPG progression system. Every successful hit or defensive play turns into experience which can then be spent on improving your character's athletic ability and various other facets of his game.

This system creates an addicting feedback loop. As time marches on, you get better and better. You'll want to see if that extra speed boost helps you leg out a bunt single or if more power allows you to swat dingers at the same clip as Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds.

It's why I've poured countless hours into this series, in which time I've seen plenty of weird things. Baseball is a game of infinite possibilities. Just Google "Randy Johnson bird" for evidence of that.

While not quite as astounding as an exploding creature, I witnessed something pretty bizarre last month in MLB 14 The Show. Two in-game years ago virtual Kyle MacGregor was carrying a lousy Oakland A's team that missed the playoffs by one game. That was a heart-breaker, but there was one moment in that frustrating, soul-rending season that stands out in my memory above any other.